Kawasaki ZZR 1400

Well, it doesn’t get any more explosive, and yet more
refined, than Kawasaki ZZR 1400 in the world of sport touring motorcycles, does
it? No, and it won’t, at least for a while. This missile has all, the build in
electronic control features to keep you as safe as possible but not a full
proof unfortunately. We’ll come back to this but let’s see how this all began.

Looking back at the history in 1990, Kawasaki was proudly
producing the world’s fastest production motorcycle, the ZZR 1100. With the
power of 147bhp it was capable and fast machine reaching the top speed of
170mph. For the time this was a dream sport touring motorcycle that delivered
everything an all-rounder should with many of us that kept it for years.

Yet again in 2006 they’ve introduced the sophisticated 197bhp
machine, Kawasaki ZZR 1400 with its limited top speed of 186mph. The
unrestricted top speed remains still open to many debates.

The ZZR 1400 is equipped with a very clever 3 way adjustable
traction control system. This can be disabled completely, but it is recommended
only if you are an experienced sport rider. On board, there is also an
alternate power mode (Low) that limits your maximum power by 25%. With this the
throttle response is also milder. The ability to adjust the traction control
and power mode is a very handy feature and the fact that they both can be set
independently give you a number of possible combinations to suit any riding
conditions or preference.

How good is Kawasaki ZZR 1400 and why would you consider
it?

Isn’t it just a heavy missile that goes well on straights
runs? Will it offer you the fun of a sport motorcycle when the roads get more
twisty? Sure, it can help you gobble up large distances on motorways with so
much ease offering spacious and comfortable position. But despite its weight
(269kg wet) the handling is agile. The wheelbase isn’t as long as in the Honda’s
Blackbird but it doesn’t belong to short ones either. In fact, it is exactly
the same as the Hayabusa’s 1480mm. This gives the ZZR superb stability on high
speeds with as little as possible compromise on turning capabilities. The suspension
has been truly refined with stiffer springs and restudied damping which feels
excellent. It may not be as quick in turning as the lighter sport bikes but it
is surprisingly easy to ride fast on twisty roads. The rake angle is only
23° vs 25° on Blackbird and 24.2° on Hayabusa which from the
structural perspective ZZR1400 should give the bike much better turning
abilities on tight roads than the other two bikes. However, because the
Kawasaki is a little heavier, it may not feel that obvious.

It accelerates to 60mph in just 2.7 seconds and to 100mph in 5.5 seconds. That's just insane!

If you happen to approach your next turn faster than you thought,
there is more than enough break power to slow you down quick with the 310mm
break discs at the front and the radial fitting callipers. The ABS come as
standard from 2008 with few very important modifications from that year on to
make your life easier. Those modifications were around the fuelling and exhaust
management system. As a result, Kawasaki ZZR 1400 produced now more power in
mid-range and at the bottom end which made the bike a little smoother and more
user friendly and powerful below 6000 RPM. Above all, the fuel economy was
improved and the 200 miles range on a tank makes now the ZZR very effective sport
touring motorcycle.

The body work was designed in the wind tunnel so on longer
journeys or colder days, you will stay well protected from the wind. The seat
height is low and the foot pegs aren’t too high to give you ample legroom. The bars are placed in a way that you don’t
have to stretch to reach them. The front is narrow which makes it easy to keep
the knees close together in any riding conditions and when you stop your feet
are well placed on the ground. In our opinion the blend of comfort and
performance is perfect which makes Kawasaki ZZR 1400 top class sport touring
motorcycle.

The choice of tyres are huge with size of 120/70 ZR17 at the
front and 190/50 ZR17 at the back. From other reviews the Bridgestone Battlax
BT 023 score the highest on average considering dry and wet grip, feedback,
comfort and wear. The millage on BT 023 range between 1k miles when ridden hard to
4.5k miles and anything above 3k miles with the bike of this weight we think is
very good.

Do you own or have ever owned the ZZR 1400?

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